A non-executive director of James Crean, Mr Joe O'Sullivan has sold his entire shareholding in the industrial holding company, raising more than £250,000 in the process. Mr O'Sullivan, who was an executive director of Crean until he retired in 1994, sold his entire holding of 265,950 shares at 95p each last week.

In a separate disclosure, the recently-appointed non-executive director of CRH, former IDA Ireland chief executive Mr Kieran McGowan, has spent more than £9,000 buying 1,000 shares in the building materials group. Mr McGowan was appointed to the CRH board three weeks ago.